The Borno State government has admitted to an administrative error, claiming that a ₦4 billion rail project listed as 100% complete in the 2025 budget implementation report was not executed. Residents and opposition parties have responded with calls for a probe into the matter.

According to a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, an internal review conducted by relevant ministries confirmed that no rail project was awarded, funded, or executed by the state government during the 2025 fiscal year in the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and the Jere Local Government Area.

The statement reads in part, "The attention of the Borno State Government has been drawn to recent reports circulating in the public space alleging that the sum of Four Billion Naira (₦4,000,000,000) was spent on rail construction projects in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC) and Jere Local Government Area without any evidence of execution on the ground."

Reacting to the statement, the Publicity Secretary of the Nigeria Democratic Party in the state, Aliyu Balarabe, called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission to conduct a fair and transparent investigation into the issue.

"We see it as a lack of accountability and transparency in governance. There is no way that something as serious as a state budget will have such errors. We are not talking about millions, but billions of naira," he said.

On his part, the Spokesperson of the African Democratic Party in the state, Baba Mustapha, described the government’s action as unfortunate.

"It is unfortunate. We saw in the media that four billion naira was budgeted for the railway in my state, and we did not see anything. There should be an investigation, and the issue should not be let die down," he stated.

Residents also expressed disbelief in what the state government described as an administrative error, while pointing out that the issue must be investigated with all sense of seriousness.

A resident of Maiduguri, Hassan Aminu, demanded a re-evaluation of the total money the government claimed it spent in the budget.

"Let us be clear about something. If the government said the inclusion of the four billion naira project is an administrative error. How then do we trust the total expenditure they gave us when it was calculated on an erroneous figure?",

Key Facts:

  • ₦4 billion was allocated for a rail project that was not executed.
  • The state government claimed the error was administrative.
  • Residents and opposition parties are calling for a probe.
  • The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission have been asked to investigate.
  • The issue has sparked outrage among residents, who are demanding transparency and accountability in governance.

A probe into the matter has been called for, with many questioning the legitimacy of the budget implementation report.

The Borno State government has been criticized for its handling of the issue, with some accusing it of lack of transparency and accountability.